This policy and guidance is part of the Schools Employment Handbook and can
be found in the ‘Sickness Absence’
section on
schoolsnet
Career Break
Scheme
HR Policy and Guidance
Sickne
Unprotected
Sickness Absence
Policy
(School Support Staff)
Summary:
The school aims for a high level of attendance in order to deliver services efficiently
and effectively.
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You are responsible for your own attendance at work.
Your manager is responsible for managing absence fairly and in a
consistent manner.
Issued by: Human
Resources
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1st Issue: 1st August 2012
Last Reviewed: June 2015
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Last Updated: June 2015
HR Policy and Guidance
Quick Glance
Sickness Absence
Who does this policy apply to?
What should I do if I am sick and cannot come into work?
Do I need a doctor’s fit note?
What do I do if my fit note says I may be fit for work?
Will I be paid when I am off sick?
Will my manager refer me to Occupational Health (OH)?
What happens if my manager asks me to attend OH?
What happens if the medical advice is a phased return to work?
Can my manager contact me when I am off sick?
What if I am sick during a school closure period?
What if I feel I am fit to return to work before the end of my doctor’s fit
note?
Will my manager ask me to attend a return to work meeting?
What is the purpose of return to work meeting?
What will happen if I do not follow the reporting procedure?
What about ill health retirement?
Can I be dismissed from my job for being sick?
I have a disability. Will this be taken into account when dealing with my
absence?
I have a disability, is there any support available?
What happens if my disability means I can’t do my job?
I am not sick but need time off for an emergency, what should I do?
What happens if I am absent as a result of an accident for which a third
party is liable?
Are there any other circumstances in which my sick pay may be withheld?
Who does this
policy apply to?
It applies to all school support staff employed on “Green
Book” conditions.
What should I do if I
am sick and cannot
come into work?
You must inform your manager as soon as possible but in any
case before your normal start time or as determined by the
school.
If you are sick for more than three consecutive days you must
ring and up-date your manager on the fourth day.
You will need to complete a self certification for any absence
up to seven calendar days.
If you are sick for eight calendar days or more, you must
supply a doctor’s fit note and ring and speak to your manager
on the eighth day.
You should then continue to update your manager before the
expiry of every fit note and maintain continuous fit note cover.
If you fail to follow the reporting procedure your manager may
suspend your sickness pay.
Do I need a doctor’s You should complete a self certification for the first seven days
fit note?
and if you are still sick you must obtain a doctor’s fit note from
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HR Policy and Guidance
Sickness Absence
day eight onwards, until you are fit to return to work.
What do I do if my
fit note says I may
be fit for work?
If your doctor believes you may be fit for work, they will
provide guidance on the fit note. You should send your fit note
to your manager as normal and ring them to discuss the
details. Your manager will discuss with you whether or not the
advice on the doctor’s fit note can be accommodated, bearing
in mind the needs of the school/service. If for any reason it is
not possible to accommodate your return to work at this stage,
you will remain off sick.
If your manager is able to accommodate the guidance you
must return to work. Should you refuse, your manager will
need to consider taking action under the Conduct Policy.
Will I be paid when I Yes, provided you follow the requirements of the policy you
am off sick?
will receive pay in line with you conditions of service. If you
fail to follow the requirements, your manager may suspend
your sickness pay.
The amount of sickness pay depends on your length of
service as follows:
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Will my manager
refer me to
Occupational
Health (OH)?
Your manager may refer you to OH if they feel their input
would be helpful, particularly if:
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What happens if my
manager asks me
to attend OH?
First year of service one month’s full pay and (after
completing four month’s service) two month’s half pay.
Second year of service two month’s full pay and two
month’s half pay.
Third year of service four month’s full pay and four
month’s half pay.
Fourth and fifth year of service five month’s full pay and
five month’s half pay.
After five years service six month’s full pay and six
month’s half pay.
You have had a total of eight or more day’s absence
(whether on one occasion or accumulated over several
occasions) during the last 12 months.
Your absence is related to mental illness or
musculoskeletal issues.
They become aware that you have a medical condition
that is likely to result in long term absence.
You absence continues after a period of four weeks.
The school may ask for your consent for OH to contact your
doctor for access to information based on your medical
records. The details provided by your doctor are entirely
confidential to OH and will not be shared with anyone else.
The purpose for requesting this information is simply to allow
OH to have a full picture of your medical situation. This helps
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HR Policy and Guidance
Sickness Absence
to ensure that any advice subsequently provided by OH to
your manager regarding the effect of your health on your
employment is based on the full facts of the situation, rather
than what otherwise might be an incomplete picture. However,
you do have a legal right to refuse consent for OH to contact
your doctor or, if you do provide consent, to see and comment
on the report before your doctor sends it to OH.
Your manager will use the advice and guidance from OH as a
basis to talk to you about managing your health and/or return
to work and to help make informed decisions about the
potential effect of your health on your employment. OH and
your manager will only be able to make decisions about your
employment based on the information they have.
An employee who unreasonably fails to co-operate with their
employer in the appropriate management of their sickness
absence may have their contractual sickness pay suspended.
What happens if the
medical advisers
recommend a
phased return to
work?
Where a short (normally no longer than two to four weeks)
period of rehabilitation is recommended by OH or your own
doctor, the school will in discussion and agreement with you,
implement it (wholly or in part) if possible, giving due
consideration to the needs of the school/service. It may be
unsafe if you are partially fit to attempt to return to normal
duties but for rehabilitation you can attend work, with
appropriate support, during your sickness absence. In these
circumstances you normally continue to submit fit notes and
will receive normal entitlement to sick pay.
Your manager may use their discretion to agree an
appropriate arrangement for a phased return depending on
the situation and with reference to the guidance, available to
managers, linked to the Attendance Policy.
The purpose of a phased return is:
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To allow you an opportunity to return to work in a
structured way when you have recovered. This helps
you to build up your stamina and confidence for a full
return to work after a long period of absence.
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To allow you to experience a gradual return to work to
enable you to test your own ability to do the job in
relation to your medical condition.
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To allow your head teacher (or Chair of Governors - in
the case of a head teacher) managers and OH provider
to assess your actual level of fitness reached and the
advisability and timescale for a return to normal duty.
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To allow the school to meet its obligations under the
requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
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HR Policy and Guidance
Sickness Absence
Where the school is being asked to consider longer periods of
rehabilitation, the school may agree with you a temporary
adjustment to your contract of employment.
Can my manager
contact me when I
am off sick?
Yes. You and your manager should keep in regular contact
during any period of sickness absence and this could
reasonably include a meeting with you.
What if I am sick
during a school
closure period?
You should continue to submit fit notes if sick during closure
periods.
What if I feel I am fit
to return to work
before the end of
my doctor’s fit note?
Where a doctor’s fit note says you are not fit but during the
period of the fit note you feel you have recovered sufficiently
and want to return to work, you should contact your manager
to discuss. In considering your return to work you and your
manager will undertake a risk assessment. Any early return to
work should be confirmed in writing.
Will my manager
ask me to attend a
return to work
meeting?
Your manager will discuss your sickness absence on your
return to work and may ask you to attend a return to work
meeting after any period of sickness absence but particularly
when you have had:
What is the purpose
of a return to work
meeting?

short term absence totalling eight days accumulated
over the last 12 months, or

a single period of absence of more than 14 consecutive
calendar days
The purpose of the meeting is to:
 welcome you back to work
 ensure you are fit to return, particularly if you have
been absent for a prolonged period of time
 identify the cause of the absence
 together you will address any problem that may be
causing or contributing to the absence
 agree priorities for the post-absence period
 agree any initial support that may be needed when you
return
What will happen if I Your absence will be unauthorised and dealt with as a
do not follow the
disciplinary matter. Your sickness pay will be suspended.
reporting
procedure?
What about Ill
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You have to be a member of the Local Government Pension
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HR Policy and Guidance
Health Retirement?
Sickness Absence
Scheme (LGPS) to be considered for ill health retirement.
All ill health retirements have to be explored with medical
advice from OH, as there are very specific criteria around ill
health retirements which only the OH doctor can apply
Can I be dismissed
from my job for
being sick?
Sickness absence is managed through our Attendance Policy
and the aim is always to secure sustained improvement in
attendance at work. However, poor attendance or an inability
to carry out the role for which you are employed can result in
dismissal.
I have a disability.
Will this be taken
into account when
dealing with my
sickness absence?
Yes. Your manager will comply with The Equality Act (2010)
and seek to make reasonable adjustments to support you to
do your job. When appropriate they will take advice from OH
and HR.
I have a disability, is Yes. The Access to Work Service offers financial and practical
there any support
assistance to people with a disability to try and enable them to
available?
continue in work.
You contact the Access to Work Service through
Jobcentreplus.
More information can be found on this website:
http://disabilityrightsuk.org/access-work
What happens if my
disability means I
can’t do my job?
If you cannot do your current job after reasonable adjustments
have been fully explored the school will seek to redeploy you.
However if no suitable employment is available you may be
dismissed.
If you are permanently disabled, your manager may seek
advice from OH in respect of ill health retirement.
I am not sick but
need time off for an
emergency, what
should I do?
Speak to your manager to see if you can take leave, under the
‘Authorised & Special Leave Policy, which covers
compassionate leave and family care leave.
What happens if I
am absent as a
result of an accident
for which a third
party is liable?
In this case you should advise the school immediately. The
school will expect you to provide details of any settlement of a
claim for damages related to the injury/condition which has
caused the absence and may require you to pay back part or
all of the sick pay paid but this amount will not exceed any
damages recovered.
Are there any other
circumstances in
which my sick pay
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If, in the opinion of the governing body, the injury/condition
has arisen due to your misconduct, if you have failed to
comply with the conditions of this scheme or have behaved in
a way prejudicial to your recovery, sick pay may be
suspended. In this case you will be allowed to meet with the
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HR Policy and Guidance
may be withheld?
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Sickness Absence
governing body to respond to the concerns.
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HR Policy and Guidance
Flowchart
Sickness
Absence
1.
Sickness absence from work
Manager and employee responsibilities during sickness absence
4.
Manager
2.
Time scale
3.
Employee responsibilities
Responsibilities *
Record sickness absence. Initiate Sickness
Absence Declaration form.
Day one
Ring and speak to your manager or senior person on site
before 9.30 (or in line with the school’s procedures). Notify
them of the date and time you became ill (including
Saturday, Sunday and holidays) and the precise reason
for your absence.
Continue to record absence as appropriate.
Consider fast track referral to OH if absence
relates to mental health or musculoskeletal
problems.
Day four
Ring and speak to your manager to confirm or amend
information you gave on day one.
Keep fit notes until employee returns to work.
Continue absence recording.
Day eight
If employee returns to work days 1 – 14 Return to
work discussion or if appropriate conduct return to
work meeting on day of return. Complete
sickness recording process attaching fit notes.
If employee returns between days 15 – 28 conduct
return to work meeting. Complete absence
recording process attaching fit notes.
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Return to work:
absence duration
One – 14 days
Return to work:
absence duration
15-28 days
Ring and speak to your manager to confirm or
amend information you gave on day four.
Must provide doctor’s fit note from day eight
onwards and up-date manager prior to expiry of
each fit note.
Return to work discussion and complete relevant
absence recording documents.
Return to work meeting and complete absence
recording documents.
Attend any OH appointments.
If employee remains absent, contact them.
Consider OH referral. Liaise with payroll about any
changes to pay arising from ongoing absence.
If employee still
absent after four
weeks
You must continue to keep in regular contact with your
manager and you must be available to meet with your
manager, as requested, during your normal working
times unless otherwise agreed.
Contact the employee on a regular basis.
Manage the employee’s long term absence in line
with the Attendance Policy – contribute to and
comply with any action plan agreed
Ongoing
requirements
throughout the
absence
Continue absence recording / keep payroll
informed
Conduct structured return to work meeting and
complete absence recording process. Advise
payroll.
Return to work
after four weeks
absence or more
You must maintain the submission of doctor’s fit notes
and follow any medical advice to improve your health.
Advise your manager / OH of any new medical
information including when your fit note states you may
be fit for work.
Attend meetings i.e. performance reviews with
manager and OH appointments and contribute to and
comply with any action plan agreed.
Attend structured return to work discussion and
complete Sickness Absence Declaration form.
Note: Reporting sickness absence
In certain cases it may be necessary to warn an employee that failure to notify sickness absence as outlined above will result in loss of pay and / or
exclusion from the relevant sick pay scheme and that formal action may also need to be taken under the Attendance Policy.
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